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Innocent Traitor

3.9 of 5 stars 3.90 · rating details · 14,605 ratings · 1,175 reviews

BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Alison Weir'sMary Boleyn.

I am now a condemned traitor . . . I am to die when I have hardly begun to live.

Historical expertise marries page-turning fiction in Alison Weir’s enthralling debut novel, breathing new life into one of the most significant and tumultuous periods of the English monarchy. It is the story of Lady Jane Gre...more BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Alison Weir's Mary Boleyn.

I am now a condemned traitor . . . I am to die when I have hardly begun to live.

Historical expertise marries page-turning fiction in Alison Weir’s enthralling debut novel, breathing new life into one of the most significant and tumultuous periods of the English monarchy. It is the story of Lady Jane Grey–“the Nine Days’ Queen” –a fifteen-year-old girl who unwittingly finds herself at the center of the religious and civil unrest that nearly toppled the fabled House of Tudor during the sixteenth century.

The child of a scheming father and a ruthless mother, for whom she is merely a pawn in a dynastic game with the highest stakes, Jane Grey was born during the harrowingly turbulent period between Anne Boleyn’s beheading and the demise of Jane’s infamous great-uncle, King Henry VIII. With the premature passing of Jane’ s adolescent cousin, and Henry’s successor, King Edward VI, comes a struggle for supremacy fueled by political machinations and lethal religious fervor.

Unabashedly honest and exceptionally intelligent, Jane possesses a sound strength of character beyond her years that equips her to weather the vicious storm. And though she has no ambitions to rule, preferring to immerse herself in books and religious studies, she is forced to accept the crown, and by so doing sets off a firestorm of intrigue, betrayal, and tragedy.

Alison Weir uses her unmatched skills as a historian to enliven the many dynamic characters of this majestic drama. Along with Lady Jane Grey, Weir vividly renders her devious parents; her much-loved nanny; the benevolent Queen Katherine Parr; Jane’s ambitious cousins; the Catholic “Bloody” Mary, who will stop at nothing to seize the throne; and the protestant and future queen Elizabeth. Readers venture inside royal drawing rooms and bedchambers to witness the power-grabbing that swirls around Lady Jane Grey from the day of her birth to her unbearably poignant death. Innocent Traitor paints a complete and compelling portrait of this captivating young woman, a faithful servant of God whose short reign and brief life would make her a legend.

“An impressive debut. Weir shows skill at plotting and maintaining tension, and she is clearly going to be a major player in the . . . historical fiction game.”
–The Independent

“Alison Weir is one of our greatest popular historians. In her first work of fiction . . . Weir manages her heroine’s voice brilliantly, respecting the past’s distance while conjuring a dignified and fiercely modern spirit.”
–London Daily Mail(less)

Hardcover, 416 pages

Published February 27th 2007 by Ballantine Books (first published April 6th 2006)

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Apr 17, 2011 booklady rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, biography, fiction, historical-fiction

Lady Jane Grey, the grand niece of Henry VIII, and queen of England for just over a week in 1553 is the subject of Innocent Traitor, Alison Weir’s first work of historical fiction. With over ten works of history to her credit, Weir is one of my favorite British Renaissance and Reformation historians mostly because she presents the Catholic and Protestant theological differences of the era in an impartial manner without resorting to inflammatory or stereotypical rhetoric.

Innocent Traitor is a ve...more Lady Jane Grey, the grand niece of Henry VIII, and queen of England for just over a week in 1553 is the subject of Innocent Traitor, Alison Weir’s first work of historical fiction. With over ten works of history to her credit, Weir is one of my favorite British Renaissance and Reformation historians mostly because she presents the Catholic and Protestant theological differences of the era in an impartial manner without resorting to inflammatory or stereotypical rhetoric.

Innocent Traitor is a very ‘good read’. It presents the story of the young Jane’s life from the perspectives of those closest to her, through the major, known events of her all too short life. The few historical ‘facts’ I’ve checked out all did—as if I had any doubt. I really knew they would, mostly I was just curious on one or two points. If Innocent Traitor has any weakness, it would be in the beginning where it seemed/sounded like all the characters spoke with the same voice. I didn’t notice this as much later on in the story, so I don’t know if I got to know the different characters, if I just became so engrossed in the story, I stopped paying attention, or if in fact the characterizations did get better. In the beginning, it especially bothered me that Jane sounded like an adult at three and five.

That criticism aside it’s a very absorbing read. Why anyone would have wanted to be a monarch back in those days is beyond me. And yet so many did—and paid the ultimate price for such ambition. Poor Jane only wanted a quiet life with her books and look what she got?! After the Reformation equivalent to a Dickensian childhood, she became the pawn of her parents and the Duke of Northumberland, was given in marriage to an abusive husband, maneuvered into a crown she didn’t want, lost it, was abandoned by everyone, thrown into prison and finally—thanks to her father’s second treachery against the Crown—Jane received the verdict of treason and was executed.

There were some speculative additions to fill in parts of history which remain unknown, and yet Weir's choices are still probable.

Recommended.

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May 28, 2009 Catherine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bookcrossing

I enjoyed this book, sad and flawed as it was. I knew the bare outline of the life of Lady Jane Grey, although, in spite of having read some version or other of Foxe's Book of Martyrs several times in my childhood, had forgotten that she is considered a martyr by the Anglican Church. It was therefore interesting to read a more detailed version of her story. Yes, I know the account is fictional but with such a reknowned historian writing we can be fairly certain that the events, if not the motive...more I enjoyed this book, sad and flawed as it was. I knew the bare outline of the life of Lady Jane Grey, although, in spite of having read some version or other of Foxe's Book of Martyrs several times in my childhood, had forgotten that she is considered a martyr by the Anglican Church. It was therefore interesting to read a more detailed version of her story. Yes, I know the account is fictional but with such a reknowned historian writing we can be fairly certain that the events, if not the motives for them, are fairly accurately recounted.

The device of having multiple narrators is a useful one, making it easy to reveal the thoughts of key characters, but I'm not convinced that Wier has the novel-writing expertise to pull it off. There were places where she showed her pedigree as an historian by having people describe the quotodian in a way that helped to set the scene but that no-one talking to a contemporary would have thought to do. For example, a subtle anachronism - a reference to the discomfort of travelling in an unsprung carriage at a time when few, if any, benefitted from this convenience - was the very one I remember being cautioned against by my Latin teacher.

It was also hard to remember just how young Lady Jane was. There were obvious gaps in her understanding when she was very small, and no doubt she was forced to grow up quickly, but there was little difference between her voice at four years and at sixteen. Even the most precocious and formal of children betray their age at some points and she would have been a more endearing - rather than merely sympathetic - character had we seen more of her childish, as opposed to technical, innocence.

What does come across in this account is Jane's integrity: she may have been a pawn of more powerful people in terms of being placed on the throne, but here she has to be convinced that there is some justification for it first, and it is her courage in holding fast to what she believes to be right that is the ultimate reason for her death at the hands of a reluctant Mary.

In spite of its flaws, a powerful and gripping telling of the tale of one of Britain's often overlooked monarchs.(less)

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Mar 07, 2012 Atul rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: all-i-own, history, favourites

It’s much better if you love history. Even if you don’t, the format of the book should compensate for the lack of interest in historical books. This is not historical fiction, though the writer (Alison Weir) has taken the liberty of imagination at certain points, and to good effect.

The places where the text adds imaginative adornments are described at the end of the book, so, if you are persnickety about poetic license, you wouldn’t be too upset.

Personally, interest in the life of Lady Jane Grey...more It’s much better if you love history. Even if you don’t, the format of the book should compensate for the lack of interest in historical books. This is not historical fiction, though the writer (Alison Weir) has taken the liberty of imagination at certain points, and to good effect.

The places where the text adds imaginative adornments are described at the end of the book, so, if you are persnickety about poetic license, you wouldn’t be too upset.

Personally, interest in the life of Lady Jane Grey was kindled because of a painting that hangs in the National Gallery in London – The Execution of Jane Grey, Paul Delarouche. While I consider myself to be a fairly illiterate in terms of art appreciation, this particular masterpiece, has somehow always attracted me to it, sent many a question to my head. It was indeed fortuitous that my artist friend picks up the book and asks how come I missed noticing this book. I am happy, however, that she did notice the book and I did pick it.

The book is written in the first person, which helps change, the perspective of looking at history. You look at the events from the point of view of the character, in the event, at that time. It adds certain emotion and ‘personality’ to the event(s) and allows history to become warmer than a chronological the presentation of cold facts. And a brave attempt, may I add, for Alison says:

[…] I have tried to penetrate the minds of my characters, which is something that serious historians attempt only at their peril.

There are, I know, a few fussy writers who insist on the facts and the gaps in availability of historical data to be left as empty and dark as a question mark. However, this book, does offer a glow in that abyss. John Man speculates fairly well when he has to deal with gaps in history. His fillers, however, are more based on reason and logic. He does wonderful justice too – makes for interesting reading. Yet, it is all in the third person.

To read something written by the character, is a new found pleasure for me.

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Jan 26, 2009 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction-tudors

Innocent Traitor is good historical fiction that isn't smutted up. The only real problem is the multiple points of view. It is not there are too many speakers, but that too many speakers sound alike. There does not seem to be that much difference in tone between Katherine Parr and Frances Brandon in tone. This could be explained by the education that woman received, but some difference in tone would be nice. The only voice that really stands out in this regard is the voice of Mrs Ellen, Lady Jan...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Joan rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: English history lovers

Shelves: adult-books, biography, english-history, herstories-history-of-women, historical-fiction

I couldn't put the book down. Alison Weir clearly rather relished being able to speculate what made a person come to the actions and decisions which as a historian she can't do. Nonetheless, she is completely faithful to the history involved.

I rather doubt her last view of Jane Grey's horrendous mother who spends the night before Jane's death regretting being a lousy mother. I never got any impression that she subsequently brought up her other two daughters with kindness (both of whom came to b...more I couldn't put the book down. Alison Weir clearly rather relished being able to speculate what made a person come to the actions and decisions which as a historian she can't do. Nonetheless, she is completely faithful to the history involved.

I rather doubt her last view of Jane Grey's horrendous mother who spends the night before Jane's death regretting being a lousy mother. I never got any impression that she subsequently brought up her other two daughters with kindness (both of whom came to bad ends themselves). I do absolutely believe how nasty she was to Jane. Now of course, she would be condemned as a vicious child abuser but it seems even in those harsh days, people were appalled by how she and her husband treated Jane.

I hadn't known that Jane was examined before the execution to see if she were pregnant. The impression is given that Mary was hoping to use that as an excuse to reprive Jane. She also had several Catholic religious figures try to debate Jane in hopes of her conversion which would give Mary another excuse for a reprieve. This all makes sense. I wish she had mentioned in her afterword whether Mary had actually been threatened with the cancellation of marriage to Phillip if she didn't put Jane to death. I can't quite see Mary being that easily bullied. She had all the Tudor stubborness. In many ways I think the character of Mary may be the weakest in the book. She comes across as rather weak and depressed. I can believe the depression. I'm not so sure about the weakness.

This may be the first book I've ever read where Elizabeth plays a supporting role rather than being the focus of the book. I suspect that Elizabeth's rather feminist attitude is slightly incorrect. She wasn't a feminist in general terms. She was a feminist only as regards Elizabeth herself.

Lady Jane Grey is beautifully drawn. She comes across as a very naive unworldly scholar. I hadn't realized that she was close to what would become a Puritan attitude of Protestantism. Again, I'd love to see evidence that she avoided colorful clothing and jewelry. I'll have to go ahead and find more of Weir's books to read. I've read a number of them, but not all by any means. (less)

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Oct 16, 2012 Monique rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: king-and-queen-tudor-dynasty

Wow...okay just added a new author to my lists of favorites, Alison Weir now joins Phillippa Gregory and Margaret George as some of my favorite historical fiction authors.. This book was about one of my favorite time periods of history--the Tudor dynasty and the drama, romance and royal misdoings by King Henry VII, his wives, and his children. In this novel the King has passed away and the son from Queen Jane Seymour, Prince Edward becomes King, however Edward is a sickly boy and doesnt live pas...more Wow...okay just added a new author to my lists of favorites, Alison Weir now joins Phillippa Gregory and Margaret George as some of my favorite historical fiction authors.. This book was about one of my favorite time periods of history--the Tudor dynasty and the drama, romance and royal misdoings by King Henry VII, his wives, and his children. In this novel the King has passed away and the son from Queen Jane Seymour, Prince Edward becomes King, however Edward is a sickly boy and doesnt live past fifteen and never fathers an heir..It is in this turmoil that our heroine the Lady Jane Grey is forced through the manipulations of her father and the Duke of Northumberland to take the crown and rule England..This sad tale recounts the treachery and scheming it took from "adults" to selfishly convince an entire nation that the King's own daughters Lady Mary and Elizabeth were unfit to take the crown and that it should pass to the great neice of the King..As the church of England was changed and reformed so often during King Henry VII's rule it was imperative from King Edward's dying wishes that the Lady Mary not be ascended to the throne as she is a devout Catholic and the church of England is now Protestant. So the Lady Jane becomes Queen of England, is married to the Duke of Northumberland's son and poised to be a puppet for the manipulative men of the privy council until the Lady Mary resurfaces, reclaims her throne and begins her reign as Bloody Mary starting with the beheading of her own cousin the Lady Jane Grey, only fifteen and only in power for nine days...Although the ending of the book is well known throughout history Weir draws out her characters, in particular the devious Frances Brandon (Lady Jane Grey's mother) and makes you believe you know these people, share their fears, dreams and hopes...Extremely rich descriptions of royalty and court life and fashion as well as changing viewpoints that tell the whole story...Recommended for lovers of tragic heroines..(less)

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Jun 02, 2008 Stacey Crate rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Patty Jones, Sara Copher

Most people have never heard of the queen who reigned for 9 days after the son of Henry VIII died. It is a shame because I have always found the story of how Lady Jane Grey, great niece to King Henry VIII and girl of 16, was placed on the throne after Edward's death and bypassed Mary and Elizabeth's right to the throne as one of the more intriguing stories about the infamous Tudor family and the efforts taken to keep England a protestant country. Little did Jane know that her parents and Queen K...more

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May 25, 2008 Yosafbridg rated it 4 of 5 stars

of the blood. . .I think i might have mentioned once or twice that i am a tudorphile. As such, i have read (and own) many of Alison Weir’s excellent histories. So i was rather excited to hear of her debut novel Innocent Traitor (which may sound like a Nora Roberts title but is actually the story of the rather tragic nine day reign of Lady Jane Grey). The story is told from multiple points of view from various members of the Tudor court (the prologue, told from Jane's point of view, waiting in th...more of the blood. . .I think i might have mentioned once or twice that i am a tudorphile. As such, i have read (and own) many of Alison Weir’s excellent histories. So i was rather excited to hear of her debut novel Innocent Traitor (which may sound like a Nora Roberts title but is actually the story of the rather tragic nine day reign of Lady Jane Grey). The story is told from multiple points of view from various members of the Tudor court (the prologue, told from Jane's point of view, waiting in the Tower of London for her pardon from Queen Mary tells how

"in my tormented reverie I hear voices, clamoring to be heard, all speaking at once. I know them all. They have all played a part in shaping my destiny."

she goes over, in her head~although she is exhausted and all she wants to do is sleep~i can definitely relate to that~for the thousandth time how she came to be there), beginning with Jane's birth up to her execution.

It is so interesting, how, even when you know the story well, it can still move you to tears when it is well told, as it is here in Weir's expert hands. Weir is an accomplished and much respected historian, her accuracy is not in question, but she writes in her afterword about how freeing it is to be able to speculate on the psychology and inner workings of the players in this very real drama (it's also interesting to note that some of the most unbelievable pieces of the story are the ones that are of undisputed fact). This story is not only about Jane, but about the life and death intrigue of the day to day life of the Tudor court~and many of the voices in this novel often wish to be commoners rather than players on the royal, and very public stage (although i've always said IF i HAD to live in that place and time the only person i would want to be would be Anne of Cleves, because, though she was said to be ugly {which i'm not entirely convinced of} and smell bad), she had the most freedom of all {once her marriage was annulled}).

To be of the blood, by the by, means to be of the royal blood, which also, i am convinced carries with it a high possibility of inheriting the migraine gene (Henry, Mary, Elizabeth, and Jane also suffered from them...hmm, perhaps i am of the royal Tudor line after all...). But i also relate it to the blood soaked politics that goes along with playing that game. Family and Politics. Sex and Politics. Religion and Politics (in this case though, it is not Christianity versus anything else, or whose God is God, but which Christianity is the True Faith, and as always people must shed blood over it). All of it is here. This is a great read (though i must admit to being a slightly partial to the story between Jane and Guildford Dudley depicted in Lady Jane~i know, i know call me a romantic if you must...
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Mar 09, 2008 Brianna rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: historical fiction buffs

Pros: strong female characters, solid basis in history, intriguing discourse on the Protestant vs Catholic ways of thought and rule

Cons: I found the protagonist's obsession (in the form of fear) with beheadings a bit of an eye-roller. We all know what is in store for Lady Jane; does it have to be alluded to in every chapter?

Other: (1) I found Jane's mother interesting in that she was a strong, ambitious female without want of the crown. I would love to explore the true reasons behind her passin...more

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Sep 10, 2007 Sarah Sammis rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: released

Take my review of Innocent Traitor with a grain of salt. I am an infrequent reader of historical fiction especially ones based around monarchs. So I came to this book already feeling skeptical.

Innocent Traitor covers the life and death of Lady Jane Grey, known sometimes as the "nine day queen" for her brief reign before Mary. With all the political machinations on the various sides all vying for the throne should make for an interesting novel but throughout the novel I found my attention wander...more

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Jan 13, 2009 Amanda rated it 1 of 5 stars

I'm not sure what it is, exactly, but Weir's writing style makes me nuts. I can't read her. I've tried three times now and never made it more than a quarter of the way through the book. My s-i-l, normally a woman with decent taste in books, swears by her and in fact loaned me this book and "The Lady Elizabeth." And I know lots of people like her style... I wish I could pin point what about this make me cringe. But her language use just leaves me flat, bored, and irritable.

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Feb 12, 2009 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Once again I am reminded how much I enjoy learning history through historical novels. I was engrossed and appalled at Jane Grey's story. The story of the British crown and the politics of religion are shocking and horrifically engrossing!

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Feb 18, 2009 Chelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read_2009

I read this book after reading The Lady Elizabeth which was Weir's second novel. I enjoyed this first effort much more. According to family legend we are descended from the Dudleys of Lady Jane Grey fame (at least I think so, the actual family legend is that we are related to her). This is an unsubstantiated (I believe) claim though but enough to pique my interest. In many accounts Lady Jane is weak and easily manipulated or she is a cunning traitor and willing participant. Here she is strong an...more

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Jan 16, 2009 Megan rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

I was excited when I first learned of this book. There is so little known about Jane Grey, so for some reason I was under the impression that this book was the result of years of research. Boy, was I wrong. It doesn't really reveal much more about Jane Grey and her life than what is shown in the movie "Lady Jane"
That would be tolerable, but it just isn't written very well. All of the characters have the same voice. Weir's attempt to tell the story from different angles doesn't work. In an after...more

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May 17, 2013 Sally rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: audio-books

I have always had a fascination for royalty (after all, my name means "princess") and I am a confirmed anglophile, however I didn't know much about Lady Jane Grey until I traveled to the British Isles. Even then, my insight was limited. When I saw this book on an Audible sale, I began listening immediately and was swept away in the events of 16th century England. Granted, this book is a fictionalized account of the tragedy surrounding this courageous young lady, but I was in awe of her faith, st...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Alice rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved the idea of a novel focusing on Lady Jane Grey. I didn't know much about her (other than the brief overview in the book She-Wolves by Helen Castor), and I love tragic stories, so this was bound to be good. This was also my first novel by Alison Weir, and I am impressed. Unlike one Philippa Gregory, Weir is able to consistently write from a perspective of the female oppression of the time, and show how it negatively affected the characters through their thoughts and feelings. This is an i...more

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Dec 20, 2012 James rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a superb fictional account of the short and tragic life of Lady Jane Grey, known for being the young girl who was caught up in the power hungry Protestant faction of the Tudor court, desperate to keep the fanatical Catholic Mary Tudor away from the throne.

What i loved about this book is how it's told in first person narrative and alternates between different characters giving their views, i wasn't sure originally if i would like that, but actually i think it worked pretty well for this a...more

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Sep 26, 2012 Regina Lindsey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Weir, known for her non-fiction and fiction work on the Tudor dynasty, weaves a tale about the ill-fated attempt to usurp Henry VIII's daughters after the death of young Edward by placing Jane Grey on the throne.

There is something captivating about the intrigue and consequences of Henry's long list of marriages. It is easy to see why there are so many historical fiction pieces on the figures that contributed to these events and suffered because of them. Jane Gray is certainly one of the most tr...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Eunice rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

When I began reading this book, I didn't know anything about Lady Jane Grey, the "Nine Days' Queen". Afterwards, I found myself researching her and other characters within this novel. I went through this book quickly and really enjoyed it. The book drew me in from the prologue, and held my attention until the last word.
Throughout the entire novel, I felt sorry for Lady Jane Grey, who was essentially a pawn of her parents' desires of rising in terms of power. The book was written mostly in Jane's...more

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Apr 18, 2012 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely love Alison Weir as a historian and this book is no disapointment. This is a great story that is not told much. Lady Jane Grey is a sympathetic character who captures the reader's attention from the beginning and keeps it completely through the end.

I thought this book might get confusing because the narrarator changes from Jane to her mother to even Mary Tudor but Alison Weir seamless weaves all these voices together to tell a coherent and heartbreaking story. I did get confused a f...more

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Dec 22, 2011 Justine Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

Alison Weir takes an interesting, unique look at the life of Jane Grey 'the Nine Days Queen' and pays particularly close attention to Jane's relationship with her husband, fellow traitor Guildford Dudley.

This is the first of Weir's novels. She is better known as being a pop historian of Tudor history, and in my opinion, she should stick to the novels. Weir has little training as a historian (she lacks the PhD, which begs the question whether she can even be labeled as a historian at all) and ma...more

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Apr 07, 2011 Padma rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Arielle Beaman

As a true history geek I am always skeptical of historical fiction. However, having read a few of Weir's historical books on the Tudors I was intrigued in how she would do in the fictional realm. I have to say that her fictional books are just as exceptional as her historical ones. Weir makes a point to note where she embellished the facts in order to make the read juicier, something I found refreshing since most authors don't want to show where they altered the facts or lacked the clarity to kn...more

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Feb 25, 2011 Erik rated it 4 of 5 stars

In-between the short reigns of Edward and Mary, two of Henry VIII’s progeny, there was Lady Jane Grey, a cousin of theirs, who ruled for a mere nine days. My first heads-up about her (after running across her name on some list of British royalty) was in the film Lady Jane with Helena Bonham-Carter in the title role. As the first daughter of Frances Brandon (daughter of Mary Tudor, Henry VIII’s sister, and Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk) and Henry Grey, Jane was deliberately hoisted onto the th...more In-between the short reigns of Edward and Mary, two of Henry VIII’s progeny, there was Lady Jane Grey, a cousin of theirs, who ruled for a mere nine days. My first heads-up about her (after running across her name on some list of British royalty) was in the film Lady Jane with Helena Bonham-Carter in the title role. As the first daughter of Frances Brandon (daughter of Mary Tudor, Henry VIII’s sister, and Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk) and Henry Grey, Jane was deliberately hoisted onto the throne after Edward’s untimely death for the sole political purposes of enriching her parents, the family name, as well as prevented a Catholic relapse in England should Mary ascent the throne. That is, a power vacuum was deliberately created to crown Jane and her ill-suited husband (also forced upon her) Queen and King. Said vacuum was premised upon not only a strict interpretation of legitimate succession (precluding both Mary and Elizabeth, as they were made bastards), but also by the clever machinations of Henry Grey and his allies in court who got Edward, on his death-bed, to rewrite the succession with Jane immediately following him.

As in her more recent work of historical/biographical fiction, Weir succeeds brilliantly by staying true to the historical record all while creating a very convincing drama that unfolds nearly flawlessly. (I use “nearly” as I’m sure there may be a mistake, grammatical or historical, that I cannot for the life of me detect.) She also includes a perhaps invented or imagined incident in this story that she did to brilliant effect in The Lady Elizabeth; this being the indiscretion between the Lord Admiral and Elizabeth, which greatly effected his marriage to Katherine Parr, the widow queen to the late King Henry VIII.

By novel’s end, Jane – now imprisoned in the Tower after Mary’s forces rout the Protestant cause upon the former’s entry into the city of London – holds resolutely to her vow that she will not reconvert to Catholicism in order to be spared beheading; a generous concession made by Mary, even though the latter’s advisors passionately argued in favor of Jane’s immediate death. However, a foolish attempt to re-seize the throne by Jane’s father and his Protestant allies quickly ruled in favor of Mary’s advisors, and Jane was is sent to the scaffold.

Tudor history is marked by many a beheading, but it seems neither tiresome nor pointlessly gratuitous here. Weir creates a very human story of a young woman forced by her parents to be something that she has no desire to be -- an age-old conflict between parents and their children, if you really think about it. And it is precisely this on which Weir proves herself to be a consummate narrative writer.
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Jun 08, 2010 Courtney rated it 3 of 5 stars

Historic fiction based in Tudor England is my (slightly) guilty pleasure, because its usually filled with court intrigue, gossip, romance and dirty secrets. This book had the usual court intrigue and the familiar Tudor characters, but did not have as much romance as I had hoped for, due to the fact that Weir actually stuck to the true story of Lady Jane's life as we know it historically.

I was very impressed by Weir's ability to marry history and fiction though, and as a historian, I do believe...more

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Jan 24, 2010 Lushbug rated it 5 of 5 stars

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Tudor Tragedy, 27 Jul 2009

Alison Weir is a well respected historian who has written many biographies of the Tudors so she really does know her stuff about this turbulent bloody period. This book concentrates on Jane Grey who was Queen of England for a few days when Edward dies before she is usurped by the rightful Queen Mary. As we all know she met a gruesome end and its so sad as she really was an innocent pawn in her families machinations.

J...more

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Oct 10, 2009 Steven Peterson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Lady Jane Grey was born as a disappointment—a daughter instead of a son. Her mother said upon her birth in this historical novel (Page 5): “I should be joyful, thanking God for the arrival of a lusty child. Instead my spirits plummet. All this—for nothing.” Daughter of Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk and Frances Brandon, grand-daughter of King Henry VII and related to King Henry VIII, her parents’ ambition dominated Jane’s life. Her parents’ goal? A marriage that would bring the family power. The or...more Lady Jane Grey was born as a disappointment—a daughter instead of a son. Her mother said upon her birth in this historical novel (Page 5): “I should be joyful, thanking God for the arrival of a lusty child. Instead my spirits plummet. All this—for nothing.” Daughter of Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk and Frances Brandon, grand-daughter of King Henry VII and related to King Henry VIII, her parents’ ambition dominated Jane’s life. Her parents’ goal? A marriage that would bring the family power. The original hope was for her to marry Edward, son of Henry VIII.

As a child, Jane is treated poorly by her parents, although her father shows some interest in her. She is an engaging child, with a curious mind. She enjoys learning—from languages to music to the classics. The book’s treatment of her makes her into a little woman when she was probably too young to think in the manner attributable to her. Still, in that era, childhood as we know it did not exist.

Events in the book are portrayed first person, through the eyes of a number of people—from Lady Jane Grey to her parents to Mrs. Ellen to Queen Jane Seymour to Queen Mary to the Duke of Northumberland and so on. While this adds a personal perspective that works pretty well, it can sometimes be a bit too kaleidoscopic for my taste. Through these various characters, we learn of the great events of the day as they happen—Henry VIII’s marriages to Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard, Katherine Parr, Edward VI’s brief reign, internal and external crises facing the country.

But, of course, the arc of this work is the brief reign of Lade Jane Grey as Queen Jane. Her parents and important figures such as Northumberland maneuvered to make her Queen rather than allowing the Catholic Mary to gain the throne. They trusted that the English citizenry would reject Mary and that they could manipulate Jane as a figurehead to run England as they chose. The novel shows how Jane tried to be a Queen but found herself thwarted by those who would use her. Her miserable marriage to a Dudley did not help matters. After only a fortnight as Queen, forces loyal to Mary overthrew the lot of nobles who had plotted to make Jane Queen. Then, the slow denouement, as Mary slowly came to see that, for many reasons, she had to remove Jane from the scene—although she saw her as innocent. The very title of this work, "Innocent Traitor,” says a great deal. The novel ends with real emotional pop, as Jane prepared a simple speech to give before her death. Her dignity, compared with the whimpering of men much more guilty than she, provides a remarkable contrast (this isn’t a spoiler; if people don’t know what happened to Lady Jane Grey, they don’t know much about history!).

Anyhow, despite some problematic choices by the author, Alison Weir, this is a compelling piece of historical fiction. Do read the author’s note at the end. The author discusses the choices that she made in writing portions of the book where there is uncertainty in the historical record or where she took a certain degree of creative license.
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May 20, 2009 Patty rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: advisoryreading

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Apr 10, 2013 Ashleigh rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, ebook, historical-fiction, 5-star

I've always had a strong interest in Tudor history, but I hate to confess I had very little knowledge about Lady Jane Grey - the majority of my limited knowledge of the 9-day-Queen is, quite shamefully, down to a 2 part episode of the Sarah Jane Adventures.

This book didn't disappoint me at all. I've read a lot of Tudor fiction in the past, mostly Philippa Gregory, and in comparison to this her work is quite amateurish. Alison Weir clearly researched the subject with a fine-toothed comb because...more

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Sep 16, 2011 Paula rated it 5 of 5 stars

Everyone knows the basic story of Lady Jane Grey, but this novel really brought her to life for me. Author Alison Weir is a historian, so this book was painstakingly researched and all of the characters have so much depth and personality to them. I found myself either loving or hating each of them and feeling true sorrow for the innocent Jane.

Lady Jane Grey has Tudor blood; her ambitious mother is cousin to Henry VIII and in line for the throne behind Henry's son Edward and daughters Mary and E...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Madelene Shepherd rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book completely sparked my love of Alison Weir as an author. A wonderfully written novel by a true historian who takes the past and forms it into a world you can fall right into from your comfy chair in the present.

A history lover myself, I already knew much about Lady Jane Grey. Did that matter? No. Did it spoil the suspense and intimate attachment to the characters? Of course not! Alison Weir has a way with words that completely absorbs the reader into the Tudor world. Written from the p...more

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About Alison Weir

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Alison Weir (born 1951) is a British writer of history books for the general public, mostly in the form of biographies about British kings and queens. She currently lives in Surrey, England, with her two children.

Before becoming an author, Weir worked as a teacher of children with special needs. She received her...more

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“I prefer to be left alone with my books.” — 128 people liked it

“If only they would all just leave me alone with my books and my letters, I would be content to let life, and the world pass me by” — 35 people liked it

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